A Holiday Haunting
by janesbiotch
Summary: Summary: Jane takes a bad spill and has to spend the holidays under the care of one Teresa Lisbon. Sounds fun right? Well it's not considering they both hate Christmas, and there a ghost haunting the hell out of both of them. Will it really be a merry Christmas? Well read on to find out.
1. Chapter 1

A Holiday Haunting

Summary: Jane takes a bad spill and has to spend the holidays under the care of one Teresa Lisbon. Sounds fun right? Well it's not considering they both hate Christmas, and there a ghost haunting the hell out of both of them. Will it really be a merry Christmas? Well read on to find out.

Chapter 1/?

Chapter 1: Take Your Tree and Shove It Up Your Cherry A**!

**Van Pelt**

It was December! She didn't care what anyone thought - she loved December, soon it would be Christmas and presents and just all that holiday cheer. Sometimes it was so much you would think a person could get sick of it, but not her. She loved it, and sure she was in sunny California, there was never snow to make a snow man, and the only time the CBI ever got close to celebrating the Christmas season was when someone decided to kill Santa and there was nothing very holiday-like about that. She was determined to not let the atmosphere of where she worked get her down. She was going to spread Christmas cheer dammit, and for those who didn't like it, well shame on them. As Grace entered the bullpen she saw her first victim.

"Good morning Jane!" she smiled when she saw him sitting on his couch.

"Bleh." He mumbled back.

Oh yes, it was most certainly Christmastime. She didn't care, she wasn't even going to let his ill mood get to her.

*HH*

**Wayne Rigsby**

It was December! Wayne was both happy and sad about this. He was happy because as a dad, he couldn't wait to see Ben's face light up at Christmas. Last year Ben was a newborn and was like, oh so it's Christmas pass me that boob, but this year. This year is going to be different. There would be all the new toys and the bright shiny wrapping paper and bows to have fun with and all the happy sounds and pretty lights and well just plain old happiness. So why wasn't he happy? Well truth be told Wayne was pretty happy, but his son was going to be in Connecticut with his mom's family. Which was good since Ben and his mom would have snow, and that's what you need for Christmastime, but it was sad that he was only going to be around Ben for one day. And only if no one was murdered which was sadly, very likely to happen as tempers always seemed to flair on holidays, so for now he just wouldn't say it out loud. You're not cursing yourself if you don't speak it out loud.

He smiled as he entered the bullpen. He was greeted by Grace. Oh, and Grace Van Pelt, she was another problem. He loved Grace, he knew it, Ben's mother knew it, and apparently the whole CBI office knew it. That was part of the reason why Amber Tyler from Human Resources went out of her way to let him know that they were about to change a certain policy which forbade colleagues who worked together from dating. Oh yes, there really were plenty of things to be happy about.

"Good morning Grace." He greeted his friend.

"Good morning Rigsby, I just put some muffins in the kitchen, you better get in there before Jane snags the only two Blueberry." She beamed.

He didn't have to be told twice, he turned quickly racing off to the kitchen only to run right into Jane.

*HH*

**Jane**

Well, wasn't this just perfect. He had slept maybe two hours the entire night, and now was just trying to make himself feel better with a cup of tea and a blueberry muffin. Until he was nearly killed by one Wayne Rigsby. He was sure Wayne was going to try and scarf down as many muffins and scones as he could before the rest of the staff could get there. God, sometimes Wayne could be such a garbage compactor. Jane suddenly hated him, he hated this building, he hated coffee, and dammit he hated Christmas and all of this god awful cheer. Santa and Van Pelt could take all this Christmas cheer and shove it up their asses!

"Hey man I'm sorry about that." Rigsby told him apologizing

"You always are." Was Jane's reply as he ascended upstairs.

"What's his problem?" he asked Van Pelt.

"I don't think he's good on Christmas. I mean, I know that it's been ages since Charlotte died, but how can one get over that kind of thing especially at this time of year?" she wondered.

"Oh." Rigsby looked toward the stairs, and well, he understood now. He could understand what it felt like because now he was a dad. He would die right now if he lost Ben. At that moment, he really felt for Jane. The poor guy.

Jane knew he should apologize to Rigsby, but he was on a mission. He went upstairs and pulled the bag from under the bed. He had all kinds of herbs. He just needed to get the right combination and maybe she'd come back. She had to come back, especially now. It would be Christmas soon. He was fine, really, and he could usually make it through the holidays without Charlotte, but after seeing her and how she'd grown. He had to get the right combination. Quickly he made his tea and sprinkled the belladonna on top. She had to come back, it was Christmastime.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: A Warning

**Cho**

Kimball Cho loved Christmas. That's right he didn't just like it, he loved it. This morning when he got out of bed, he pulled out the tree, and when he got home tonight he would be putting it up. It wasn't your simple little tree either, it was a six footer. Just because a person went artificial didn't mean they had to go small. Nope by the time his CBI family came and saw his house... it would be a winter wonderland. Every year they all managed to stop by at least once, with the exception of Van Pelt. She usually came back four or five times just to take in the theme. Luckily by then his mom would be tucked into his guest room where he could blame it all on her.

No one believed Kimball Cho could ever love Christmas as much as he did. But, if they drove about an hour away, they would meet a Santa who was very proud of Kimball, who he considered his toughest elf. So Cho took in three more carols on his radio including The Temptations' rendition of Silent Night, because in his book it wasn't really Christmas until that played. He then centered his soul and wiped all emotion from his face.

He entered the CBI just like he did every morning. He would get through this day, and tonight he'd be setting up a winter wonderland. He didn't even care whether or not they were in California or at the North Pole. Kimball Cho loved Christmas.

*HH*

** Jane**

Patrick Jane sat in his makeshift office praying for hallucinations. The holidays always had been the worst time for him when it first happened. Everyone who had read the case files knew the death of his wife and daughter in every gory detail, but no one really remembered the date but him. It was not to long after Christmas and his daughter had begged for a stupid bicycle. He still could remember the look on her face when he told her no. She was so heartbroken, when she started to cry he wanted to take back the "no" and tell her that she would get it. But he wanted the bike to be a surprise. He had wanted to see her face light up with genuine glee. And when she got the bike, it was well worth it, her face was a memory he would never forget. She had two days on that bike. Two days and then she was butchered.

"Why isn't this working?!" he shouted throwing his coffee cup.

The moment he threw it, regret hit him so sharply he gasped, that little blue cup was his favorite. He did not lose control of his emotions very often and so he couldn't help the smile that lit his face when the cup just bounced off the wall and landed upright beside his desk. Now that was some damn good craftsmanship. Although that had made him feel a little happy for a moment, reality set in quickly. Why couldn't he get this to work? He closed his eyes still wondering.

*HH*

**Teresa Lisbon**

"Good morning Ron, good morning Tracy." Lisbon hummed as she walked toward her office.

She was feeling better today. She had gotten the good cry that she needed the night before and now she was going to try and enjoy Christmas. Once again she had talked to her brothers and each and every one of them declined her invitation to the little get together she had been planning. They never came, no matter how many times she asked, they never came. Maybe it was because she wanted to get together to remember her mom and everything that she loved about Christmas. But it was different for them, they were too young to really remember the good Christmases and so it was just a reminder for them. A hurtful reminder of the Christmases after their mom was gone, and maybe they resented their sister just a little because she had the very good memories.

Paperwork. It was a slow day and they hadn't gotten a call yet, so now was the time to catch up on paperwork. She turned to open up the bottom drawer; it was what she liked to call The Jane files. The Jane files should keep her busy for a while, but that's when she noticed someone sitting in the only other chair in her office.

"May I help you?" she asked the young girl.

"Teresa, you're dropping the ball. I know you're feeling down because your brothers couldn't make it again, but they can't. And, it's because you look so much like her, you bring up memories they wish they could bury forever." She told Lisbon.

Teresa didn't know who this girl was, but she thought she had some nerve walking into a police station and thinking she could get away with this stunt. She had learned a long time ago that you couldn't trust the innocent look of a person.

"Who are you?" she asked. She sat back in her chair behind her desk and slid her hand into the holster she kept directly under it for the gun she kept there.

"Going for your piece is total badass!" The girl beamed a beautiful smile at her.

"You have to help him." She told Lisbon.

Lisbon didn't even have to wonder who the girl meant when she said it. Lisbon knew immediately. At that moment all of her defenses melted away.

"Jane." Teresa Lisbon sighed.

"He's going through some bad things right now, and unless you help him put an end to it, things will get far worse for him before they get better.

"Who are you?" Lisbon asked again.

"Wake up Lisbon!' The girl told her jumping up from the chair.

"Wake up!"

*HH*

Lisbon bolted straight from her seat. She didn't know how long she had been asleep. The only thing she knew was she had to get to him. She ran from her office in search of her consultant.

*HH*

He was tired of lying around. He had been waiting for her to come back all day and she didn't. No matter what he did she never came back. Maybe it was because he was sad. Perhaps if he tried to smile more or at least put some effort in getting into the spirit of the holiday. He looked to the left and there was the untouched box of decorations Van Pelt had given him. He could put up some, maybe it would help him get out of this depression he was in.

Jane grabbed the ladder from the corner and began to put up some of the festive decorations. But he didn't have a chance of reacting to how unstable the ladder was, before it threw him off and he landed completely wrong on the concrete floor.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: A Look to the Past and Near Future

She was too late. That was one thing she hated about him and where he decided to have his little office. Most people assumed that he had picked an office close to the CBI but he hadn't. The CBI bull pen was on the third floor, and his was on the sixth. He wanted to be close to fresh air is what he always told her. He never took the elevator; he said that jogging up the stairs was his exercise regimen of the day.

Upon seeing the crowd when she arrived, her fears were confirmed. She had never been so happy before that the forensics lab was in their building until she saw Dr. Robin Armstrong there with her medical bag.

"Robin, what happened?" she asked after frantically pushing through the crowd.

"I don't know. When was the last time you were in here, Teresa? I think the last time Jane allowed me in for a cup was about a month ago. It didn't look this trashed." Robin told her as she checked Jane's vitals.

At those words Lisbon took a moment to really look at the room. It was trashed. Papers were thrown everywhere, his Red John wall was still intact but it had a tarp over it and was facing the opposite direction from normal. Lisbon hadn't been up here in the past two days. Is this what Jane had been doing for the past two days?

"I've called an ambulance, they need to get here fast. I don't like his pupil response and that leg. He landed pretty hard and I don't like the angle it's bent. I didn't want to move it." Robin sighed.

Lisbon took this moment to look at Robin. She remembered first finding out that Robin and Jane were friends. Lisbon had a feeling she hadn't felt since college. It took her a few days to realize it was jealousy. She hated that Jane had decided to confide in Robin and had secrets she didn't know, which hurt as well. Lisbon was always the person Jane confided in and then to find out he was confiding in someone else, well it hurt deeper than she liked, even though she knew Robin really was a nice person.

"I think he's waking up." Robin shouted breaking Lisbon from her deep thoughts.

Lisbon took his hand, which had been resting on his chest this whole time, and clasped it tightly. "Come on Jane wake up. Come back to me." She whispered in a continuing mantra.

*HH*

Jane awoke with a start. He knew immediately that something was off, something was way off. He was in his house, but there was light. So much light, he hadn't turned on the lights in this place in years, and yet here was the living room glowing brightly. He sat up and regretted it immediately when he was hit with one hell of a headache. He knew he had lost his mind completely when he saw, right in the corner of the living room - exactly where it should be, a massive Christmas tree.

*HH*

The ambulance had finally arrived and Lisbon started to breathe more easily. Here they were finally, in the small attic space, loading him on a gurney and hooking him up to all kinds of machinery, but she refused to let go of his hand. He hadn't squeezed back, or acknowledged her presence in any way but it was still warm. It was warm, and that was the only thing keeping her from losing it right now. It was warm, not like last time.

**_Flashback_**

_It was cold. That was the one thing that made her realize things might never be the same again. It was cold. On impact when her mother had lost control, and the car had finally stopped spinning it was warm. It was warm as she held it, and on occasion it would squeeze back. When she looked up into the green eyes so many people told her she had as well, they smiled back. Her eyes smiled back, even though the face they were in couldn't, but they smiled back and blinked and she knew, just knew, things were going to be okay._

_Then things were different. The hands had stopped squeezing back about ten minutes before, and now, when she looked up at the face, she wished she hadn't. All of the love, smiling back at her from those eyes just minutes before, was gone. Her mother was gone, her light extinguished. All that was left was numbness and this damn cold hand she couldn't bear to let go._

*HH*

"He's seizing!" Paramedic 1 screamed causing her to recoil back from the stretcher.

She was showing her vulnerability left and right, and Ron caught her before she lost her footing and they would have to get an ambulance for her.

"It's okay Terry. He's going to be alright. Come on let's get you outside and out of the way, you can be waiting when they get out there. And then you can go along with him." He told her soothingly.

She smiled when she looked up at Ron. They had been friends for ages going through the academy together. He was giving her an out. He knew that she would definitely be going with Jane, but she needed a moment to compose herself...

"Yea, I think I'll do that." She got back to her feet and headed downstairs.

*HH*

Everything was the same yet different. He remembered where Angela had put every Christmas knick-knack - this was different. Still nice but different, he rounded the corner to the kitchen and was shocked at who he found there.

"Lisbon?" he questioned.

"Hey, how was your nap?" she came around the corner.

That's when he noticed she was only wearing a shirt, one of his comfy sweaters, and she looked so cute in it.

"The kids are finally down for the night. They can't wait for Santa to come. If you hurry, you can go up and kiss them good night."

He quickly turned his head to the staircase. Then he was going up that staircase and to that room, but when he opened the door there weren't sleeping children to greet him.

"You came back." He beamed at Charlotte as she sat in the middle of her bed.

"You and I need to talk. You are making a big mistake." she said.

*HH*

No one was telling her anything. She had ridden all the way to the hospital with him and he had seized twice on the way. It felt like she was having a heart attack. Now she was pacing, she was pacing and no one was telling her anything. She really did hate December.

"You are going to wear a hole in the floor."

Teresa Lisbon spun around and was face-to-face with the girl from earlier. Lisbon thought she had dreamt her, but now she knew she was wide awake.

"How could you know that?" she asked her.

The blonde stopped and looked to the right. Lisbon watched as a huge smile spread across her face.

"Let's just say I get my information from the highest authority."

"Why are you here?" she asked.

"I'm here to make sure you save him. He's your salvation Teresa. Apart the two of you are only headed down a spiral of loneliness and despair, but together you will be epic." She smiled once more.

Teresa took in the look of the girl for a moment. She was blonde, and she had the most hypnotizing blue-green eyes. Teresa Lisbon knew that smile, she knew those eyes.

"Charlotte." disbelief rang in her soft voice.

"Now you're getting it. Sit down, we have a lot to discuss."

Lisbon decided to throw sanity to the wind, and took a seat. Her obvious distress was giving her a distraction. She decided to take it.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Out of the Fog

The CBI was abuzz,,, no one was working on a case, everyone was discussing what had happened a few hours ago.

Van Pelt was taking it the hardest out of the team members remaining at work. She just wouldn't listen to any voice of reason.

"I did it to him you know. Those stupid decorations, why would I do that to him? He doesn't even allow anyone up there anyway and I give him decorations. Oh - and I got him that damn ladder, too! Way to go Van Pelt!" she shouted throwing her hands up.

"I don't think he was in any condition to go up on that ladder in the first place, Grace. He should have realized how bad it was. Did you see that place, and not to mention that he nearly killed me earlier. No, I don't think he was well in the first place. And, i really don't think it's your fault at all. Oh Grace, I just wish the boss would call." Rigsby sighed.

Cho sat back and listened to the two of them go back and forth. He knew no matter how much Wayne reassured Grace what had happened to Jane wasn't her fault, she wasn't going to believe him She wouldn't believe him until Jane was there alive and safe and telling her it wasn't her fault. Cho actually knew it wasn't her fault. He had a little baggie of some not so safe substance that apparently was the likely cause of Jane's unbalance in the first place. Poor guy. He needed help and he needed it now!

*HH*

"You came back!" he exclaimed going to hug her.

"No, this is wrong." She sighed deeply, pushing away his hug. "What you are doing to yourself is wrong!"

"I just took it to see you. I wanted to be able to see you, to touch you ... "

Patrick went to brush aside the curl that had fallen across her eyeline. He almost stopped himself because he was afraid that his hand would go through her as before but this time it was solid and he literally touched her.

"Charlotte?"

"Surprise." She smiled.

HH

"So you're Charlotte?" Lisbon asked the girl who sat across from her.

"I don't know am i?" she responded.

"Why so cryptic?"

"The two of you, you know you really make me sick sometimes. I'm constantly caught in this tailspin of will they or won't they, and just when I think, oh my God, they are going to, he just said he loved her. He takes out a gun and he shoots you. I swear THAT was crazy enough to make me come right then and there." She shouted.

"How am I seeing you? He's the one suffering from head trauma. Is there head trauma?"

"He's going to need you, Lisbon. You have to be there for him, he needs you just as much as you need him. And, Yes - You Need Him."

*HH*

"It's different this time, I can touch you. You can stay and things will get better because I'm... "

'No, I can't stay. You're not getting it. You don't get what you're doing wrong."

"I know taking that stuff is wrong, but, if it means I can see you again then..."

"Don't you get it! I'm here to help you understand, not because you took something to force me here!"

He looked at her, she looked the same as the girl he had seen before, but there was something different about her. This was all wrong. He looked around the room and it was changing right before his eyes. It was changing from the room he had hoped Charlotte would have one day, into that room and the memories he were always trying so desperately to escape.

"I don't want to be here." He pleaded.

"You have to be here. You can't move on until you live it." She told him.

*HH*

They had finally let her see him. He looked so small and fragile lying there. She had seen him in a hospital bed before, but this was, this was something else. His leg was in traction? He had a horrible fracture, he was going to need another surgery to fix it, and then there would be a lot of PT to get him back up on his feet. He had cracked two ribs that were going to be painful for awhile, and the pain would only be worse when he began moving around with the cast. That was all insignificant compared to the head trauma. The doctors did not and would not know how much his brain had been impacted until he opened his eyes and spoke to them.

"Come on Jane. It's been long enough, time to open up those eyes for me." She told him as she took a seat beside his bed.

She would sit there all night if need be. She Just needed him to open those eyes.

*HH*

He was in the house again, but Charlotte was gone. He knew immediately it was THAT night. He was back in costume, Fake Psychic Extraordinaire, he was back taking money from the rubes and loving every minute of it. He was an awful person, he knew it, and he didn't want to open that door because he knew what was there. He knew the truth, the truth he hadn't shared with anyone.

"Go ahead open it."

He turned and she was there, just like from his earlier hallucinations.

"I don't want to."

"I'm not here to do anything bad to you daddy, I'm here to help you get better. What I just showed you? That was your life with Teresa, do you want it?" she asked him.

"Yes, but I'm not... it's just... she's worthy of so much more than me.

"She probably is, but she doesn't want anyone else. She wants you, now go in there and face it. Face what happened that night. I'm right here for you."

He slowly opened the door, and walked in.

He hadn't noticed the smiley face, instead he saw Angela first. Her toenails were painted red, and he knew it wasn't polish. Her eyes were wide open, staring at nothing. She was staring at nothing, yet right at him. He could see it. The disappointment, the hurt, and the hate. He had done this to her. He would never be able to hold her again to tell her how really sorry he was. Now no one would know how sorry he was, and all because he told the truth about a man he didn't even know.

He reached for the telephone in his pocket to call 911 and that's when he heard it. It sounded very loud but it didn't sound like she was in pain. He heard it just as plain as day. He heard a sigh.

"No! This is not what happened? Why are you here? Here with this sick, sad version of a Chiristmas Carol. First you show me a Christmas with Lisbon that I'll never have, and this, this never happened. You were dead! You were dead!" he shouted at Charlotte.

"No I wasn't. Just look."

Patrick looked back toward the younger version of himself. He leaned down so that he would be at eye level with a very much alive Charlotte Jane. It didn't look like she had much longer.

"Daddy?" the little girl whimpered.

"Shhh, shhh... sweetheart daddy's here. Does it hurt anywhere?" he asked already knowing the answer.

"No, I'm just sleepy. I've been trying to stay up for you to get here, but then the man he... " she trailed off. He could tell by her motions, she was going into shock.

"Don't worry about him. Why don't you just close your eyes and take a little nap." He told her as he caressed her head soothingly.

"Can I ride my bike when I wake up."

"Yea it'll be right downstairs waiting."

That was the last thing that she ever said to him. She died. He knew that an ambulance wouldn't have made it in time. She died right there and he had failed them both.

"Why would you show me something like that!" he shouted at Charlotte's ghost angrily.

"You were holding on to that picture of me. You were letting it eat at you and you can never move on if you do that. Teresa loves you, and she loves that you loved me so much but you have to move on. I just showed you something great, don't you want that?"

"I can't. I don't deserve another chance. I was late and I couldn't save you or your mother, and now I can't even catch your killer."

"I died feeling safe, and loved. I died with you holding my hand, and I'm fine with it. It's time you were happy, this is not happy. Taking drugs and nearly killing yourself is not happy. What do you really want?"

"It didn't take him long at all to realize the answer to that question.

*HH*

She had been asleep when she heard him stirring. Lisbon immediately got to her feet and rushed to his bedside

"Hey." He smiled at her from the bed.

"Hey." She replied.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: The Calm Before the Winter Storm

The next couple of hours was filled with them putting Jane through a lot of tests. They wanted to make sure he hadn't seriously damaged his brain during the fall. When I told them their instruments needed to be a little harder than his thick skull in order to damage him, of course I was ignored.

So here I was, once more, waiting for Jane in a hospital room. The latest rounds of testing were taking a long time and I had just decided to leave. If I went back to the office, I could get some paperwork done. However they brought him in and with one look of his pleading eyes I knew I wouldn't get anything done at the office while he was here. So I might as well stay, it was probably for the best anyway, knowing how irritating Jane could be to doctors.

It had been hours and she hadn't come back. Had I been imagining her the whole time? If so why her? She has no significance to me. How would I even know what Charlotte Jane looked like? The only photo of her I had seen more than once was one that I cared not to see ever again. I did get word to the team that Jane was going to be okay and they should take this time to catch up on paperwork.

*HH*

*"He's going to be okay!" Van Pelt shouted to the group of CBI agents who had been waiting for news of their fallen team mate.

"I told you." Rigsby commented from the kitchen.

"Yes you did, but I had to hear from either Lisbon or Jane himself. She says he's going to be having more tests done, but all and it all looks like he didn't crack his skull." Van Pelt added this last bit gleefully as she sat at her desk and proceeded to pull some paperwork from her in-box.

In his quiet, understated way, Kimball Cho was glad to hear Jane was going to be okay. He had a feeling it would take more than a broken bone and cracked skull to keep Jane down for very long. The EMT Response Team's time had been good, and everything went smoothly after they arrived. Jane would have a long haul ahead of him, but the team would be there for him, the Boss, too. The only sad side of all of this was being down with injuries during the holidays. If Cho were to be laid up on Christmas like Jane was going to be, well he might cry. Cho did really love Christmas. Looking down at his computer screen, he sent a silent prayer to Santa in thanks, the giant reindeer he wanted for his yard was now available online. Only one left, he had to snag it now right one or it would be gone by time he got off work.

"Damn it!" Van Pelt screeched from her work station.

"What is it?" Rigsby asked concerned.

"The reindeer I was telling you about, it just sold out. Remember, I told you I should have placed my order before going out to lunch."

"You were upset, I wanted to make you feel better. I'm sorry, maybe we can find it someplace else online."

"Maybe."

"I just hope Kimberly Chopowski from Amsterdam is very happy with it!"

"You hacked the system?"

"Only for a name, not any further. That way if it were someone from around here, I could've gone out to see whether or not they could be persuaded to give it up. I know Ben would've loved it."

It really warmed Rigsby's heart to know Grace was thinking of his son. Maybe Ben could have seen it when he came back from visiting with his mom. Maybe if everything went according to plan, he would get to see it up close next year, when he and Ben and Van Pelt were a family.

Cho couldn't help but smile at his cleverness. His name was pretty much right there for anyone with half a brain to figure out, but no one would think of Christmas and Cho in the same sentence. At least not as a guy who would put a giant reindeer in his yard.

*HH*

Teresa Lisbon looked at her watch and noticed it was getting pretty late. How many tests they could possibly run on Jane, she wondered. Going up to the desk she found out two very shocking things. One: Jane had made her his medical proxy naming her as his next of kin. She had wondered why no one was protesting anything she tried to do regarding his treatment; and two: he had some kind of allergic reaction to one of the medicines and it was causing him a little difficulty breathing. They assured her it was nothing to worry about, that he was breathing on his own, and they just wanted to monitor him closely a bit longer. He would be returning to his room shortly they said. But, it was getting late, and she was thinking of the Christmas tree in the middle of her living room - waiting to be decorated. Just the smell of the pine brought a smile to her face. She really couldn't help it, she loved Christmas. She always made sure to love this holiday, to honor her mother; she wouldn't have it any other way.

Just when she had made the decision to leave, two nurses wheeled in a big bed, with a very disheveled Patrick Jane.

He was still asleep, and he was sweating profusely.

"What's the matter with him?" she asked.

"Well he had an allergic reaction, but we assure you everything is under control. We have a little extra oxygen being provided to help with his breathing. He said he wanted to rest but he fell asleep and it looks like he might be having a nightmare. He is doing quite well considering his injuries on arrival." The nurse replied.

After the nurses had gone and they were alone, Lisbon took a minute to look at him more closely. He looked horrible. The fever had plastered his hair to his forehead so his usual blonde curls appeared darker and limp from the sweat. The doctors had tightly taped his middle to protect his ribs, and then the leg still up in traction looked really bad, in fact, it looked horrible.

"My poor baby." She sighed, gently lifting the hair from his brow thinking she would get a damp cloth...

She immediately whipped her hand away when she realized what she was doing, what she had said - out loud no less. What in the world had brought on that she wondered? Although in a way she knew. Could it perhaps have been due to listening to ghosts from the past and letting her emotions get the better of her? She was truly going mad this Christmas. It's just that - Jane truly looked so pitiful lying there. Very banged up and very vulnerable to the world. How was this supposed to be a good Christmas for him? But she had made sure he was going to be alright and although he was restless, he was sleeping. Maybe it would be okay for her to slip away, get some work done and then come back to check up on him before morning.

"Lisbon?" he lightly moaned from the bed.

"You're still here?" he questioned.

"Of course I'm here, how are you?"

"I'm fine, this is nothing. You can go and get some rest."

It touched her that he cared enough to tell her to go get some rest. After all, he was the one lying there.

She would leave but she then come be back later. She knew she couldn't stay away all night.

"I'm just going to go and pick up a few things and then I'll be back."

"Okay." He sighed turning away from her the best he could considering all the medical implements of torture that were connected to him in some way or another.

"Jane, I'll be back."

"I know." He closed his eyes.

She waited about ten minutes, and took in the fact that his breathing had evened out and he seemed sound asleep. He would be alright; he didn't seem to want her around anyway. She got her belongings and left although she knew she would be back to check on him early tomorrow.

Patrick Jane was very good at controlling his breathing. He could still feel her presence in the room. He knew that she was trying to figure out if he was sleeping or not, so he gave her what she wanted. He evened out his breathing and did his best to make it seem like he was relaxed. Seriously though, how could he be relaxed with all the pain he was in? His mouth might have told her to go and he knew that she was coming back, but he knew that she knew what he had done, what he had taken and she was disappointed. He also felt she could barely stand to be with him, and it was breaking his heart.

Lisbon felt a whole lot better. She had seen him and talked to his nurses and they told her that soon he would be given some stronger meds and then he would probably sleep through the night. So seriously there was no need for her to sit around his bedside holding his hand like a distraught girlfriend, right? She could tell some of the symptoms and they were familiar. He had taken more of that belladonna trying to see his wife and child. He was not ready to move on and she couldn't fault him for that. But she couldn't compete with it either.

As soon as she got into the elevator the lights went off and when the elevator started moving again, she wasn't alone. She decided she wasn't going there. She would ignore her. If Lisbon did that then she would have to leave - right.

"I'm so not done with you." Charlotte said.

*HH*

Wayne was on a mission to make something right. Grace was still a little upset about the reindeer and he was doing his best to make things better. He thought that maybe, just maybe, she still felt guilty because of what had happened to Jane and also that she was just pretending to be so upset about the reindeer. If he could get that reindeer, maybe just maybe, he could brighten her day.

He had called the store and they told him that although Chobowski lived in Amsterdam she was going to be picking it up from the store in this area. Which was the first thing which seemed a bit odd to him. When he got off duty he decided to take a little drive to the store and what he saw was both hilarious and a bit confusing. One Kimball Cho was putting a hideous reindeer on the back of a pickup truck.

"Kimberly Chobowski my ass!" he snickered to himself as he exited his car.

*HH*

Lisbon had managed to ignore the ghost for the whole very long elevator ride. In fact, she was quite proud of herself when she managed to ditch it. She must have not been such a smart ghost if she couldn't keep up. She got in her car and turned on the AC, because it was still warm and then tried to bask in the glow of her Christmas carols. Yes, that was it, they were doing the trick.

"You didn't actually think you could ditch me did you?" Charlotte asked, sitting in the passenger seat with that familiar smirk on her pretty face.

"What do you want? I was there and I stayed. Now he doesn't want me there, he told me I could go."

"Is that what you seriously see, why do you think I came down here?"

"I don't know, Jane was near death and maybe you were going to help him find his way toward the light and he didn't want to go, I don't know! Oh God, are you here to take him with you?" she asked near panic beginning to set in.

"That's why I'm here." She beamed.

"To take him!"

"No. I'm here to get you two together. I mean REALLY, what DOES it take for the two of you to realize what you mean to each other? He loves you, you love him. It's time for you two to quit this game. You almost lost him to that Lorelei bitch, who else or what else do you want to lose him to?"

"He didn't ask me to stay. He didn't want me there."

"He did want you there and he still does. I told you he's stubborn just like you. He wants you to hold him, he wants you to tell him that everything is going to be okay. He wants you to care, but you are just so unapproachable about everything. You were a distraught mess while he was unconscious and then when he can see you, you're all business. What if I told you he was up there crying his eyes out because you left him alone? He doesn't think you want him anymore."

"Why wouldn't I?" she asked in disbelief.

"He knows that you know he took the belladonna to see me and even though Cho did his best to remove all traces of it from the scene, he knows that you know he took it."

"Did he? While you're down here Jacob Marleying me, did you take the time to go and see your father?" she argued.

"I did, it wasn't a happy reunion."

"What did you do to him?" Lisbon demanded.

"See that's adorable. You went all Dirty Harriet on me when you thought I hurt him. You do realize I'm dead, and well, you have no power over me. That was cute though."

"I can't believe I'm sitting here arguing with a ghost. Why do you look like that? As you said you're dead, why look like a teenager"

"The last time he took the belladonna this is what his subconscious cooked up for me. Would you prefer it more if I looked like this?"

Right before her eyes, Charlotte morphed into the corpse of young Charlotte Jane. Her hair was matted with blood. Her little throat was slit, and the nightgown she wore was caked in blood.

"Stop that! I don't wanna see that!" Lisbon screamed.

She quickly composed herself and looked around in the parking lot to see if anyone else noticed the fact that she was obviously losing her mind.

"I'm sorry. I only did what you asked. You see, the only image you have of me is from the time of my death, from a crime scene photo, that's what your mind projects, because it's what you know. It's all very complicated." She returned to her original form.

"Is he really up there wishing I was there?"

"Why don't you go up and see?"

Teresa Lisbon reached for the door handle of the car but stopped. She had so many feelings for Jane that when she attempted to act on them she never could control them. She could stare down a rapist or a murderer, but she couldn't stare into the face of the man she loved and tell him she loved him.

"Go ahead. This is a tough time of the year for the both of you Lisbon. You do your best but when you're alone you can't help but think about what happened to your mother. He's the same way."

"What do you mean?"

"Think about it. I'm sure it will come to you, but for now go to him, he's really not doing too good. I can't give him the comfort he needs."

She didn't have to be told twice, she opened her car door and sprinted back toward the hospital entrance.

*HH*

She really didn't know what she expected when she went returned to the hospital. The way Charlotte had been talking, she was expecting machines to be going off, and Jane to be coding, but all seemed to be well on his floor. Upon reaching the nurses' station a nurse she had met earlier smiled up at her. Then she saw another nurse exiting Jane's room, this nurse saw her and gave her the biggest smile she had ever seen.

"You came back." She beamed walking toward her.

"I'm sorry." Teresa asked confused.

When I went to take his nightly vitals, he was, well the poor dear was quite upset. He tried to hide his tears from me, but I'm a mother as well as a nurse. I can tell when someone wants something, and when he thought I wasn't listening I heard him say Lisbon. I asked around, and they told me she was the pretty little lady who was with him all day. I'm glad you came back, maybe he can rest now. That's what he needs you know. Doesn't like hospitals that one, wants to go home. I assured him it would be a few days or even weeks before we could even consider that, but I've been hearing things. Maybe you could go in and get him to rest."

Lisbon was so confused after what the nurse had been telling her that she forgot all her Jane reservations, opened the door to his room and walked in.

"What are you doing here? I told Nurse Angela I'm fine. I was just... well it doesn't matter. I'm just going to lie here and let those painkillers kick in. I'm fine." A stalwart Patrick Jane snuffled out.

Lisbon froze for just a moment, he was sniffling. Had she really hurt him when she left?

"Jane."

He wasn't going to be able to hold it. All the medicine, on top of everything with Charlotte and actually being in a lot of physical pain, he was drowning in despair. He just needed something he could hold on to and here was Lisbon, the only thing that could make it better was standing right here. How could he ever tell her, he wouldn't?

For the first time ever, she decided not to think about anything. There was the man she loved, and it was time to stop being afraid. He needed her and that bed was pretty big so she better do this while she was still high from Christmas songs.

Patrick was thankful for one thing since Lisbon left, his leg had been taken down from the contraption it was elevated in. It now was comfortably on a pillow and they helped him get to as close to lying on his side as he possibly could, but it wasn't perfect. He closed his eyes and just hoped she go away. He would make her think that he... he really didn't want her here and she would go away.

He heard as she took off her shoes. She slid into the hospital bed and felt his body tense.

"I was halfway home, but I couldn't get you out of my head. I hope you know I'm missing tons of paperwork right now. So I'm going to lie here beside you, and rest my head right here. Am I hurting you?" she asked.

From the moment she slid in beside him, he could relax. She just seemed to have that calming nature that he needed. He also liked how she pretended she didn't want to be there. Oh that's his Lisbon. And, she had asked him a question. Of course she wasn't hurting him, she made it all seem better. "No." he replied.

"Good, now we're going to sleep. No funny business, I'm tired, and I'm going to have to get up early to go home and change before work."

There was silence for about ten minutes between the two of them.

"Lisbon." He sighed.

She always loved the way he gave her name a z where there was none and when he said it, she wished there were.

"Yea Jane." She answered.

"Thank you." He replied.

She reached for his hand and entwined their fingers with each other. It felt good, it felt right. She fell asleep holding the hand of the man she loved.


	6. Chapter 6

When Patrick Jane opened his eyes, he found himself back in a familiar place. The Christmas tree was right where he remembered, and the presents were perfectly wrapped. There were differences though. Differences that he knew were because of her. Teresa's shoes were under the couch and her bag was by the door. He could smell cinnamon, her trademark smell, and he couldn't help the smile that formed on his face.

He started on a journey to find his lovely Teresa, and thought he certainly wouldn't be shocked to find her in the nursery. It seemed she was always there since the baby's arrival. He had never thought he would feel this happy again. Not after what Red John had done to Angela and Charlotte. Patrick Jane never thought he would have these feelings again. Now though, he knew what his future would be, his future was Teresa Lisbon. Except as he started up the steps, Patrick knew something was off. He got such a strong feeling of déjà vu, he did not want to go into the nursery. But he had to, didn't he? Now he saw the letter. The letter - posted on the door - just like the last time. But, there was a difference this time... there was only one sentence.

**_You thought I wouldn't get them too... _**

"Lisbon!" Jane shouted coming to full consciousness.

He was trying but failing miserably at calming himself, his ribs hurt like hell! But there was just so much blood, Red John had gotten them, too. He had murdered not only the baby but his sweet, beautiful Teresa! Jane had failed yet another family. How could he ever live now that his family was gone again.

"It's okay. It was just a nightmare." Lisbon's soothing voice calmed him instantly.

"You were dreaming. It's fine, are you in pain? Do I need to call someone?" she asked concerned.

He looked around shakily and remembered, it was the hospital, he was in the hospital. He had fallen from the ladder while hanging Grace's Christmas decorations! Now he would probably be here for days.

"I wanna go home." He said miserably.

"I'll go and see what I can do about that." She told him sliding from the bed.

*HH*

Wayne Rigsby sat at his desk staring at one Kimball Cho. He couldn't believe it. He had followed his friend to a department store's loading dock where he put a giant reindeer on a truck. Cho then took it home and placed it in his front yard. During all this activity, Mama Cho was nowhere to be seen. Kimball Cho had been blaming it on Mama Cho all these years but he was the one, the one who put up thousands of glittery, blinking, flashing Christmas decorations.

Now Wayne just had to think of a way to get the Reindeer. He would have it nice or naughty - it would be His friend's choice.

"Hey Cho, what did you do last night?" Rigsby asked nonchalantly.

"Nothing much. Cleared out a few things, mom's going to be here at the end of the week."

"Oh yea! Pretty soon we'll be coming around to see what holiday cheer she's cooked up this year, you got any idea what she has planned? Any reindeer in her future?"

He waited, but was disappointed when Cho didn't even flinch. Sometimes Cho was just too good at the deadpan. It must be all of that army training.

"Come on guys we're up. There's a case. Looks like Red John." Van Pelt said as she got up from her desk. "I'll call the boss from the road.

*HH*

Teresa Lisbon knew it was a lost cause when she told Jane she would talk to someone about getting him released. She had no idea where that man's mind was sometimes. He could barely walk, how did he think he would be able to get up and leave the hospital bed? She took a really good look at him, being still sedated, he had fallen back into his drugged sleep. He really was the cutest thing sometimes.

Looking at his sleeping form as she stood to go and talk with the nurses, she realized their life had taken a new step, but what step was that? How did he feel about her? She could tell he felt something, felt something quite deeply, but did he really want what she wanted?

Her phone abruptly startled her out of these thoughts. "Lisbon."

"I can be there in about 20 minutes Grace, do you guys really think it's Red John?"

She listened patiently as Van Pelt gave her the run down on the case over the phone. As she listened to what her friend was saying, she could tell Jane was waking up again and she wouldn't be able to keep this from him. He could always tell when she lied.

"I am going to have tell him something Grace, I just don't know what. I'll see you in a few."

She hung up and wasn't surprised that those familiar blue green eyes were staring back at her.

*HH*

Cho and Rigsby had arrived at the crime scene before Lisbon. "Boss is on the way. She just has to figure out how she's going to get away from Jane. You know he knows everything." Rigsby told Cho.

"Good." Cho answered.

"You're really going to make me say it?" he asked Cho.

"Say what?"

"Kimberly Chowbowski. I saw you last night. It's not your mom. You are the Christmas lover."

"And?" Cho asked.

He had to admit to himself that the way Cho was answering these questions really made it seem as though he could care less if they all knew whether or not how much he was obsessed with Christmas.

"I need that reindeer, Grace wants it and it'll make her happy. I need you to let me take it off your hands."

"No." he simply replied.

"Come on Cho, she's feeling guilty about what happened to Jane and I just want her to feel better. It could really help me earn some points in our relationship."

"No. It's perfect for my theme. I need it, it's the centric piece."

"If you don't give it to me, I'll tell everyone that you just love Christmas."

"You can tell all you want, the point is who would believe you." Cho told him with one of his rare smiles and walking back toward the crime scene.

*HH*

Jane couldn't believe it. Red John had done it again. He had coldly murdered someone. Savagely taking them from loved ones. This time though he was stuck in the hospital due to his own stupidity. Lisbon probably shouldn't have told him. Things would have been better if he just didn't know that was the type of crime scene she had been called to. Another scene where Red John would probably be lurking nearby to gloat about it all. He really needed to be there. He needed to pick up clues and get back in the game.

Just then his good friend Nurse Angela came in with a lovely arrangement of flowers.

"I bet it was that pretty little girl of yours." She told him passing the card over to him with a smile before she left.

He waited until she was gone and read the card. It made him shudder when he read the card... I **_will have so much fun with her._**

He panicked. He had to get out of here, had to find away to get to Lisbon in time. He swung his legs around to the edge of the bed and slid both off as carefully as he could. Then he took a moment to collect himself. He had to get to her and fast.

"YOU are not going anywhere!" Charlotte shouted pushing him back on the bed.


	7. Chapter 7

You can't keep me here Charlotte, it's a trap! He's going to hurt her." Patrick Jane screamed.

"Do you realize you're arguing with a ghost, I can do whatever I damn well please, and right now I'm keeping you in this bed."

"You can't do this, he's going to hurt her, do you want him to hurt her?" he pleaded.

"Sometimes bad things happen to good people, Dad, you of all people should know that."

"I'm not going to let you keep me here, I'm going after Teresa. There's nothing you can do to stop me."

"Well, I guess we'll see about that."

Patrick having finally managed to get up on his feet, felt Charlotte give his ribcage a good punch. He screamed out in agony and lost consciousness unable to withstand the pain in his broken ribs,

"I'm so sorry, Dad. Lisbon'll be back here soon enough! Although I hate to say she'll be a patient." She told her unconscious father stroking his hair gently.

*HH*

For the first time in a long time, Teresa was glad Patrick Jane couldn't accompany her to a crime scene. It was Red John alright and he had really done a number on the victim. She didn't know what made the scene more horrific, whether it was the actual murder or because it seemed to have a Christmas theme. Blood and a creepy smiley face set to the music of jingle bells was something she wouldn't shake for a very long time.

Everything seemed to be truly against her right now. People just didn't believe her favorite holiday was Christmas. Why wouldn't it be? Oh right, maybe... Maybe because this was the time of the year a drunk driver had taken her mother and in a real sense left her and her younger brothers orphaned. Because the night her mother died, she lost her father as well. It was only his shadow that lingered for a few more years. Then he did her and her brothers a favor and blew out his brains. Of course, his timing had been perfect since it was also not too far from Christmas. When she allowed herself to think about it - the whole episode was quite poetic, and although this should be the hardest time of her life, it wasn't. She did her best to make it the happiest time. Teresa knew - with ALL her heart - that was how her mother would want things. That's all she ever wanted... to honor the memory of her mother.

"The photos have been taken, is it alright for the body to be moved Boss?" Van Pelt asked, jolting her boss out of very deep thoughts.

"Yea, I'm going to check the perimeter, see what I can see. You and Cho need to interview the neighbors to see what we can find out about our victim."

"I'm on it Boss."

Lisbon decided to take a minute and look around the area. Something just didn't seem right. Of course there was the victim and the smiley face on display and that was never normal, however, something more seemed to be amiss. Something which she was sure if Patrick Jane were here would be picked up on in mere seconds. The whole scene, although horrifically normal for a Red John murder scene, did not sit easy on her well-trained mind. Like small vital pieces to a puzzle - something was missing. What was she missing?

As Lisbon came toward the outer edge of the perimeter, she saw it. A second smiley face. But... before she had time to think of its significance, she was snatched from behind.


	8. Chapter 8

"I'm a God-damn officer of the law, stop coddling me Wayne. Lisbon needs me!" Van Pelt shouted as she failed miserably trying to break through his arms which formed a barrier.

"You don't want to see Grace, please, this isn't how you wanna remember the Boss." Holding onto Van Pelt he watched Cho run down to Lisbon's obviously broken body.

Watching Cho go down the hill to where Lisbon's body had been dumped, it made him rethink becoming a cop. He loved being a total badass and righting all the wrongs; but when it came to something like this - having to identify the body of someone you had beers with, admired, and well, in ways loved - times like this he wished he was a garbage man. Grace was taking it as okay as she could, but when he thought of their partner in the hospital. Well, he knew things were not going to be good at all with Jane.

Cho had never thought a day could possibly end like this. Lisbon was not their leader for her paperwork skills alone. She could more than take care of herself, and when she had gone off on her own no one ever thought of something like this happening. From the way her body was lying, the man who did this had just tossed her down, like nothing, and left her for dead. Jane would be devastated. There would be no coming back for him after this.

Coming back to consciousness was a real son of a bitch. Lisbon didn't know how he had gotten the jump on her, but she had fought for her life. He thought he'd easily take her out, but the joke was on him. He thought Lisbon would be easy because she was a very petite woman. He didn't know how really tough she cold be, especially when her life was involved. Lisbon knew he wasn't Red John. He let her see his face, and he was practically useless with the knife. Since he was just a lone henchman, she took him out. Oh, not easily... her body hurt all over and when she finally opened her eyes she noticed two things. One: she must be bleeding somewhere because blood was smeared all over her face; and Two: there was a crazy looking oriental man running her way.

"Cho." She couldn't help it coming out as a moan.

Kimball Cho couldn't believe it. Lisbon had been thrown down the hill like she was some kind of rag doll. He had no idea until he heard her moan his name that she was alive, and he then did something quite uncharacteristic.

"You're alive." He gasped pulling her to him. He never thought that maybe she was bleeding internally or that he would get blood all over himself because the sick bastard had put a bloody smiley face on her face. All he wanted to do was touch her. He had to hug her in order to ground himself. He had to hug her for Jane because he couldn't be here to hug her for himself!

*HH*

Charlotte Jane peered down at her wonderful father in pure panic. They never told her this kind of thing could happen in Angel school. She was just supposed to come down and make them see what they meant to each other. How the heck was she going to do that now. Now when she might have broken her father, and Lisbon could be half murdered? She needed help.

"Come on somebody up there has gotta help me. I was only eight when I died." She shouted up to the heavens.

She took a moment to look back down on her father after her silent prayers and his eyes were open.

"Thank God, do you have any idea how much you scared me?" she said with a sigh of relief.

Her wonderful father just lay there - he was so completely still. He didn't even blink. His eyes were open but it was like he didn't know she was there. He was catatonic.

"No, no, no! I'm sorry, Lisbon's alive. I should've told you that first, she's going to be okay. Lisbon's going to be okay! Now snap out of it."

"Lisbon." Her dad sobbed and then he began to cry.

Charlotte couldn't believe what was happening. Her dad appeared to be a totally, thoroughly broken man and it seemed that maybe only Lisbon could make him better. She hoped Teresa would be able to come to his room while she was hospitalized. How were they ever going to have a happy holiday the way things were going now? What good was it if she were an angel and couldn't help her own sweet dad? Charlotte loved him so very much - all she wanted was for him to feel love again.

*HH*

Van Pelt couldn't stop laughing. Only a few hours ago her friend Cho was going down a hill to get what he thought was the lifeless body of their friend and boss, Teresa Lisbon, and now here they were in her hospital room, where she was having a fit about every little thing. Right now Grace couldn't keep the smile off her face even though she was being closely scrutinized by Director Madeline Hightower.

"Are you sure you didn't see his face?" Hightower asked as she sat on the edge of Lisbon's bed.

Teresa didn't know what to make of Madeline Hightower sitting on the edge of her bed looking genuinely concerned about her.

"I didn't get a good look at his face sir, I have no idea what he had planned, and this may or may not have been Red John. Things were a little different about how he did things and Jane wasn't there to get a look at things. Oh my God, Jane! Does he know I'm here, I'm usually with him by now - I need to go." She stated, trying to get out of bed, and failing to hide how dizzy she quickly became, not to mention that even though the bastard hadn't broken any bones, he had done his best to beat her to the point where she'd never forget this beating. With everything that hurt, she hated the black eye most of all. She hated appearing weak in front of her team. How could she appear to be the strong authoritative figure she was when she was sporting a shiner and looking like some kind of battered wife? No, this would not do, this would not do at all.

"I've checked with Jane's doctors, I never realized that we're his only family. They say he's having an off day, but is resting comfortably. You stay in this bed, and when they release you, we are going to see about you having some time off." Hightower said reassuringly to Lisbon.

"Sir I assure you, I don't need any time off, I can go back to work right now. This stay is just for observation. It's only a formality, I can go back to work now." Lisbon said, trying to get off the bed again.

"Teresa, I am not here as your boss. I came because I was genuinely concerned. It's okay to need someone to lean on. Cho, take care of her. I'll be back in the morning. Feel better. In the morning I'm sure you'll be able to give an accurate account of what happened. Take care of yourself first and then we'll worry about Red John.

Lisbon was feeling defeated. She just wanted them to leave her alone possibly with a little bit of dignity. She knew everyone was looking at her like some kind of victim. At least if Jane were there, he would take all the attention from her. He would understand and distract everyone from her. She just wanted to be swallowed whole. As of this very moment she was starting to hate the holidays. She closed her eyes and just hoped they would think she had fallen asleep.

"Hey guys I think we should go. She's sleeping." Van Pelt whispered to the two men guarding Lisbon. They were determined not to let anything happen to her.

"One of us will stay here with her, and the rest of us will go back to the office." Cho stated having been left in charge by Hightower.

"I'll take the first watch." Rigsby volunteered. He still was feeling a bit ashamed that he didn't go help her down that hill, and he let his emotions get in the way. So yes he would make sure no one harmed her.

"Oh Wayne that's so sweet." Van Pelt smiled at him as she and Cho exited the room.

He took a l ooked at Lisbon sleeping for a moment and then exited her room. He would give her privacy, he would keep guard outside her door.

Lisbon kept her eyes closed and hoped she could convince him she was sleeping so he wouldn't come back. Once she was alone in the room and quite settled around her, she noticed how achy her bones really felt and thought maybe a little sleep would do her some good. She started to feel herself drift off to dreamland.

"You need to come now!" Charlotte Jane appeared out of nowhere shouting.

"What's wrong?" Teresa asked alarmed.

"I think I broke him. I mean I was just trying to keep him in bed before he hurt himself. Then I let it slip that you would be coming back here as a patient. One thing led to another and he figured out that Red John was going to get you and now he won't do anything." Charlotte babbled on.

Lisbon had many things she wanted to ask Charlotte. She knew Red John was going to take her, was it truly him who had taken her? Charlotte knew and all this babble about holidays and Jane but never once had she said oh and by the way that serial killer that you are chasing well he is going to get you and try to kill you. Charlotte knew and she didn't tell me. Then there's Jane, what did she mean he's not doing anything.

"What do you mean he's not doing anything?"

"He's just lying there. Almost not even blinking, the nurses come in with their needles and he doesn't do anything. Dad really, really doesn't like needles and he didn't even notice when they gave him a shot, He's not acknowledging me either, I'm scared. I think he's imagining the same that happened to me is happening to you. Charlotte sniffled.

That was all that Teresa needed to hear, she lept from the bed. This time she didn't let the achy parts of her body or the pounding in her head dictate what she was going to do. She needed to get to Jane, she had a weird feeling. She needed to get to him now. She hadn't felt something like this in a long while. Before she realized it she was at the bathroom mirror using the supplied brush to try and fix her hair. They had obviously washed it for her when she was brought in because it was no longer straight - it had that natural curl to it that at times she hated. She didn't want to look so disheveled when he saw her. She wanted to approach him as Lisbon. Even if her team had seen her at her worst, she would go to Jane and he would see her, Teresa Lisbon. First things first. She looked in the mirror and tried - could she really do a pout. Jane had told her once that her pout could make him do just about anything.

Wayne Rigsby sat outside the door. He would not leave, no matter what he would not...

"Rigsby!" Lisbon shouted pulling him from his thoughts. Also making him reach for his gun.

"Stand down, I was just wondering, how about you going and getting us something to eat. I just can't eat this hospital food." Then she gave him that pout.

"I don't know Lisbon, what if something... "

"Wayne I'm fine. I'm not asking as your boss because, considering I am your boss, I could demand that you go and get some food, but I'm asking my friend Wayne to go and get us something to eat. Hey, maybe we can even go and cheer up Jane."

"Oh I get it. Sure thing boss, I'll just disappear while you go be with Jane. I know you are more than capable of taking care of yourself." He told her walking away.

She didn't like that smirk on his face, but at this time she only had one concern.

"Patrick." She voiced out loud as she held closed the back of her hospital gown.

*HH*

Jane couldn't shake it. He knew what was happening. Teresa was dead. Was she dead? Had they found her body yet? Was he lying broken under a smiley face, too? He was breaking, he knew he was, he could feel reality crumbling away. He wasn't going to come back after this one. He knew he wasn't. Padded cells, and straightjackets. Routine suicide checks. Having to eat with sporks. It was over, hell he was already seeing his dead daughter he was half way there. He heard the door open but he decided to play dead. He felt dead. Maybe he was dead, Charlotte and Angela were dead, and now his Lisbon. She wasn't his, he had never gotten the chance to tell her.

"You are not asleep, and after the day I've had I could really use you right now." He heard Teresa's voice say.

Patrick quickly sat up, but regretted it when the room started to spin. She was there though, and she wasn't in a hospital bed. Okay, she was wearing a hospital gown and her face. Oh, what had he done to her beautiful face?

This is not your fault. You hear me, I'm fine. Now scoot over, I left a nice morphine drip for you and I am not sitting in a cold, uncomfortable plastic chair." She told him as she slid in bed behind him. Not when there is a warm, wonderful Patrick Jane here who I can cuddle with, the thought coming, unbidden, to her mind. I wonder where that came from, she chuckled very softly.

Patrick knew she was just trying to make him feel better. He was the reason for those scars being on her body now. All because she knew him, and because Red John knew what she meant to him. But he wanted to enjoy this moment with her. He would enjoy this moment with her. They had gone through so much bad together. They might even have a good Christmas together, and he would soak up all of the memories.

When it was over he would leave, he would take those wonderful memories of his Teresa and Patrick Jane would leave everyone - before he killed them, too. He closed his eyes just take it all in, to firm up his plan, next thing he would do would be to get them both released from the hospital. He might not have much time left with her, but he would make it count, every minute, every second, he would make it count.


End file.
